Firefighters do not feel “adequately trained, equipped, or prepared” to deal with wildfires, a Senedd committee has heard.
Speaking to the climate change committee on Wednesday October 21, representatives from the Fire Brigade Union told members this summer was “extremely challenging” for firefighters.
Following the wildfires, the union created a list of ten demands to better protect those working in the fire service and the public, including specialist lightweight wildfire PPE for every firefighter, and 5,000 new firefighters to “reverse over 15 years of cuts”.
Steve Wright, general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union, told the committee there are now less firefighters than there were ten to 15 years ago, with Wales having lost around 400.
Underfunding
Plaid Cymru MS Niamh Salkeld questioned the representatives over what extent they could “see this coming” before the summer, and on whether they have raised concerns with the Welsh and UK governments.
Responding, Gareth Tovey said while they did not know the summer of 2026 would turn out how it did, they have been clear for a “long time” that the changing climate is impacting the environment in which firefighters work.
Mr Tovey, who serves as the executive council member for Wales in the Fire Brigades Union, said this changing environment has occurred at the same time as austerity and the underfunding of the fire service.
He said the union has previously raised concerns about recruitment and retention issues and the underfunding of a “vital public service”.
Conservative MS Andrew RT Davies questioned the blaming of austerity for the struggles of the fire service, drawing on the examples of drones.
He told committee members that Dorset Fire Service had 29 drones available to it while others had zero, and questioned whether it was an issue of a lack of planning in local decision making.
Drawing on his own experiences, Mr Tovey said when he joined the fire service people were sent on off-road 4x4 driving courses to ensure the vehicles they had could be operated safely.
Stressing he was not necessarily joining the two together, Mr Tovey noted these courses stopped around the time of austerity.
He added: “It might seem like these are failures to plan or bad decisions, but a lot of the decisions that have been made have been made under the constraints of not enough funding.”
Resources
Reform MS David Mills quizzed the representatives on the PPE available to the firefighters during the wildfires.
Mr Tovey said that although there are some differences between the three brigades in Wales, firefighters have two kits: structural firefighting kit, the typical protection firefighters are seen wearing, and lightweight PPE.
He stressed however that firefighters have only one set of the lightweight kit.
Mr Tovey told members this meant firefighters would often wear their lightweight kit for their first shift, during which it would get covered in soot and dirt which poses health risks.
He said that with no way to wash the kit, they were faced with the choice of wearing a dirty kit - putting them at risk of exposure to carcinogens, or wearing unsuitable, too hot kits for their next shift.
He added: “We seem to be in a new normal of a changing climate but I don’t think we can expect it to become normal what firefighters had to do to keep the public safe this year.
“I think we need to provide the funding and investment so that the tools, kit, resources, numbers, PPE can be put in place so the people who keep the public safe can be kept safe themselves.”
Senedd calls for disused coal tips action and inclusion of Aberfan in school curriculum
Barry Town Council unveils plans for new heritage centre
More than 6 million people visited the Vale in 2025 according to new figures
Welsh organisation Luna’s Light calls for children to learn about grief
Welsh Tory leader calls for the declaration of a “health emergency” in Wales
Funded childcare for all two-year-olds to expand across Vale of Glamorgan
The first steps have been taken to deliver a £4m cycle track to the Welsh capital
Leo praised by RNLI after raising alarm for two boys caught by rising tide
Engineering works to disrupt Vale of Glamorgan rail services during Half Term
Penarth Pier Pavilion Cinema voted one of the best 15 cinemas in the UK
Vale community invited to stand together against domestic abuse at White Ribbon Day candle vigil
Barry Museum plans spring 2027 reopening following repair work
Plans approved for new Aldi supermarket in Barry
Vale of Glamorgan MP Kanishka Narayan is calling for a national effort to strengthen Britain's defences against AI
Police given additional powers to deal with King Square anti-social behaviour
Community Libraries Mark Decade of Success Across the Vale
Plans have been filed to bring a prominent town centre building back into use, but it may not be forever
A4232 closures planned between Leckwith and Culverhouse Cross for urgent works
Barry Town United Members Back New Ownership Model in Landmark Vote
